Local retail dealer, pawn shops detail recent spike in gun sales

Recently a national surge in gun purchases has sparked some attention from the national media, and locally, gun sellers have also noticed a spike in sales.

According to Mark Jesperson at Bill's Home Furnishings, concealed and semi-automatic weapons are the best selling guns from an industry perspective, and from what he has seen, it seems to be true, although he does not deal in the semi-automatic rifles.

"They (semi-automatic rifles) can take nine to 15 months to deliver. They're so back ordered, the makers can't keep up with demand," said Jesperson.

Bill's Home Furnishings has been selling firearms for a few months and is dedicated mostly to hunting, but also caters to general gun enthusiasts.

The two pawn shops in Price, A Pawn and Charlie's Pawn, also agreed that semi automatic guns were selling the best, but when asked about what else was selling well, Brenda Fuller of A Pawn, replied "all of the above."

Nationally, background checks for gun purchases, according to the United States Bureau of Investigation, are up nearly 30 percent..

Locally, reasons for a spike in sales also seem to follow the national trend, involving the new presidential administration.

"The day after the election we sold seven guns in a day. We used to sell about two a day, but now it's around three to four," said Fuller.

But what appears to going out the door the fastest is ammunition.

"Sold out," is how Fuller described ammunition sales. "Everyday I call (the supplier), no ammunition."

In terms of who is buying guns, it seems to be across the board, according to Fuller. First time buyers as well as seasoned owners have been making purchases.

Charlie Roedel, owner of Charlie's Pawn, said his gun sales were about even with the past, other than the semiautomatic assault rifles.